


Through Toil, Tears, Blood and Fire

by GamerGirlandCo (CorugatortheTablet)



Series: Just a Girl Trilogy [1]
Category: Plants vs Zombies
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Dystopia, F/M, Fucked Up, Gen, Heroes, Multi, Other, Romance, War, i want to die, pvz ocs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-10-23
Packaged: 2019-03-24 14:41:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13813317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorugatortheTablet/pseuds/GamerGirlandCo
Summary: :OOF:I WANT TO DIEFic I had on fanfiction.net before loldecided to reupload it hereenjoy, i guess? kek..





	1. Bad Days

**Author's Note:**

> :OOF::OOF::OOF::OOF::OOF::OOF::OOF:

_**CHAPTER 1: Bad Days** _

_**Toronto, Ontario, CANADA** _

_ **2013** _

"Yo, wake up!" my mother yelled from the kitchen.

I groaned and rubbed my eyes as I got out of my bed and hobbled down the stairs.

"School today?" I asked blearily.

"Right as rain, darling." my father answered. School. The one thing I hated the most in the entire world.

"Seriously?! Can't I just skip school today? I don't even know why we even ―" I began to protest, before I was cut off by my very stubborn mother.

"Shut up and eat your breakfast, missy." my mother snapped.

"Why are you like this when it comes to school?" my dad asked.

"It's . . . it's . . ." I couldn't answer, because I didn't want to. My current tight spot in St. Henry was bad enough without my parents getting involved.

"Tell us, honey. We won't kill you!" my mother encouraged.

I simply shook my head and kept my lips sealed as I shoved spoonful after spoonful of yucky oatmeal into my mouth. When at long last I was finished with breakfast, I realized that I was going to be late. So I just grabbed my schoolbag and proceeded to head out the door and wait for a bus headed to Kipling station. Five minutes later, I hopped onto a subway train headed to Scarborough, where my school was. I looked out the window with a sigh. How could Toronto become so . . . ugly? It's hard to believe that the zombies actually took over, and that our mayor has been replaced by a football zombie who was mindless from top to bottom. It was hard to believe that all the buildings were crumbling ― even the CN Tower. It made tears spring into my eyes, and it made me want to run onto the steps of City Hall and have all of us plants enter into an irate conflict with the zombies right in Nathan Phillips Square. My thoughts were interrupted when I realized that I was already on the other side of Toronto. Not wasting a second, I hopped off the train and ran all the way to the school building, where the students were just chilling, or playing in the soccer field. I simply walked casually into the yard, when five plants sauntered over to me.

"Hey, Weird-e. Planning on killing somebody?" the Sunflower asked.

"No, Ellen. Now leave me alone before I do something to you all that I'll regret!" I retorted.

"Oh! She speaks well!" Alduin snickered.

"Guess she's a damn liar. _As usual!_ " Carol sniggered.

"Shut your traps before I gouge your eyes out!" I yelled.

"Should we report you to the principal for making threats?" Albert and Brian snickered.

"Honestly! Why do you have to be so goddamned annoying?! Especially _you_ , cursed Split Pea!" I cried.

"Really? You want us to beat you into a pulp?" Alduin asked.

Before I could answer, I was being kicked and punched everywhere for two minutes, then the group of five just left, laughing like stupes. Not wanting to show anybody that I was crying, I just ran into the building and went inside the washroom. As I looked into the mirror, I wanted to scream. I had bruises everywhere, my face had so many cuts, and my leaves were bleeding. My already-puffy eyes began to get puffier when I started to cry like crazy. Nobody could hear me, because frankly, nobody cares. I had no friends, and I was all alone. My parents would never understand, not in a million years. If only Adria and Alana were still alive, and not rotting under dirt in the spooky old graveyard by Humber Summit. I sighed, wiped my tears, and walked out the door as the ball rang.

I forced myself to deal with the tedious day filled with plants talking behind my stem, my teachers scolding me about my ugly appearance, and plants calling me "Weird-e". I somehow managed to stay calm, but at the end of the day, I totally lost it.

"Yo, Walkin' Winter! Why do you look like a zombie?" Brian asked.

"Yeah! Why do ya?" Albert echoed.

"I think you'd know!" I huffed as I made my way towards the subway station.

"Ooh, somebody's crystals have been pulled!" Ellen sniffed as she walked over to me, a stupid grin on her face. Then she leaned in, and decided to annoy me even more. "Hey, I heard that you have a crush on Alduin. Is that true?" Ellen asked.

"NO!" I yelled angrily. "Not anymore!"

But it was too late; the three plants were taunting me.

"Weirdo and Alduin sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage then comes a sprout in a ―"

I didn't give them a chance to continue. My instincts had taken over, like on so many occasions in the past, and my anger flew out. A swirling jet of snow and ice came flying out of my leaves, and I knocked the three down flat. Ellen had a saber mark across her forehead. Albert and Brian's teeth had been broken, and there was blood all over their mouths. As I slowly calmed down, and saw what I had done by mistake, I did what I always did to escape trouble as I saw Alduin head into the front door to tell the principal about me. I ran. I ran faster than a cheetah, into the subway station, and I ran into the train that was homeward bound. I looked at the tracks and sighed.

"Frigging tracks! Why must they be in such bad condition?" I cursed as the train moved slowly.

After what seemed like a million decades, the train had arrived at Kipling. I grabbed my bag, and made a dash for home. I didn't bother taking the bus, where all the plants and the occasional human would stare and laugh. Like I haven't had to endure that on the subway. Half an hour later, I was home. As I unlocked the door, I was greeted by a plant I never wanted to see for the rest of my goddamned life.

"Good afternoon, Aunt Mary." I growled as I stomped inside.

"Hold your fire, Elyssia! I'm just here to visit your parents! My, they must have done a n excellent job of raising you!" my aunt shot back. "And tell me, why do you look like a ragamuffin that barely escaped the bloody battle of York?"

I just sighed and ran into the living room. I slammed the door shut and walked over to my mother and father. "Mom, Dad, I need to talk to you." I whispered.


	2. Out of Hand (or leaf, as the case may be)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the aftermath of Elyssia's little incident...

"What is it?" my mother asked.

"See this?" I showed my parents all of my scars, cuts and bruises.

"I actually wasn't being careless on the swings, and I didn't get my leaves and roots pinched inside my locker. This was caused by..." I trailed off nervously.

"Caused by what?" my father asked sharply, earning a nudge from my mother. "Is it that boy I told you not to hang out with? Because if it's him . . . oh, what's his name ―"

"Don't even say that wretched name in front of me!" I muttered.

"Back to the point! What's happening?" my mother said, giving my father the evil eye.

"It's... I've been getting bullied ever since first grade. Everyone thought I was weird, especially now because I'm in a gifted class, I got good marks on every test, and that I could..." I trailed off yet again.

"And that you could do what? Show us." my mother implored.

"Please don't let it be . . ." my father prayed.

I sighed as I gathered my thoughts. I swept my right leaf in a circle, and I created a storm of crystals. I sent them hurtling towards the wall and they disappeared, leaving tiny holes.

"S-sorry! It's just . . . I'm cursed with this magic!" I cried, bursting into tears.

My father shook his head.

"We're doomed. It got out."

My mother started yelling at my father. "I can't believe that our daughter has been lying for _six straight years!_ I'm surprised and grateful that she didn't need to go to the hospital or something!" she yelled.

" _SIIILEEEENCE_!" Aunt Mary swept inside, with a cigarette with smoke daintily curling from it in one leaf.

I did my best not to barf at the ugly Plantern's appearance. No wonder she looked like a seedy swine, and her light looked as if it would go out.

"No wonder why I thought you were out of the usual run of things since the day I saw your ugly face!" she sneered.

I suppressed a gasp, and my mother ran over to her. "Mary! You shouldn't say such things to my daughter!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, sure I can! Have you seen what she has done?" Aunt Mary sniffed.

I was about to rebuff when I felt the same surging feeling of white hot anger. I could feel my instincts taking over, and before I knew it, I had sent a bluish jet swirling out of my right leaf and it hit my not-so-darling aunt squarely in the face. My father gasped, and my mother looked plain terrified. I shrunk back in fear, realizing that I let my emotions get the better of me for the second time that day. Aunt Mary howled in pain as she held her nose, with blood slowly spreading onto her leaves. My parents, meanwhile, had lost it.

"ELYSSIA! IN YOUR ROOM! NOW!" my father roared.

I let out an exasperated scream that I knew could be heard all the way up Haimer Avenue.

"WHY IS MY LIFE LIKE THIS?! SENSIBLE PARENTS WOULDN'T GROUND ME FOR THESE KINDS OF THINGS!" I shouted as I stomped up the stairs and into my room.

Once inside, I slammed the door so hard that it shook the room. Next, I started making a mess. I threw around my books, I lit a match and tossed it into my crabby, ugly neighbour's yard, and I screamed. I tore the curtains off from the windows, and I punched holes in the walls. I didn't care if my allowance was shelved for a year to pay for all these damages. For once, I wanted to be bad, to let my feelings fly free. I sent jets of ice flying around, smashing the windows. I screamed as loud as my throat would permit me to. I exercised my powers and let them wreak as much havoc as they could. As I glanced around, I saw that my room was a hot mess, and that the fire department had been called in because the dimwitted Chomper we had as a neighbour had noticed the blaze, which looked big enough to incinerate all of Rexdale. Despite the fact that I'd be in more trouble than a criminal charged for first, second and third-degree murder, I didn't give a crap. I just gave myself the privilege of an unprecedented temper tantrum. I even climbed onto my bed and decided to swing from the chandelier in my room, screaming all the way through. Just then, the door had been flung open, and my mother entered.

"Elyssia! What are you doing?" she asked in a worried tone.

I swung off the light fixture, sending it crashing down to the ground, and I grabbed one of my many Honour Roll medallions and tossed it at my mother, who ducked.

"WHAT KINDA STUPID QUESTION DO YOU THINK YOU'RE ASKING?!" I roared as I punched more holes in the wall, and I punched my mirror, reopening some of the cuts that I got today from the beating that Ellen's gang had given me.

But, like I said, I didn't care. Being bad had never felt so good, and worrying my parents made it even better.

"Elyssia, I'm sorry if you got sent up to your room! You need to calm down!" my mother protested.

"I . . . DON'T . . . HAVE . . . TO . . . LISTEN . . . IF . . . I . . . DON'T . . . WANT . . . TO!" I screamed as I tossed what used to be my mirror out the window, and I stomped on the splinters that used to be my chandelier, cutting the bottoms of my roots.

"Elyssia, enough is enough! Stop _NOW!_ " my father bellowed from the doorway.

I didn't stop. I just allowed myself to go mad. I simply let everything I did become a white-hot, angry blur. That eventually took its toll for the worst when I hit my head against another window and I became unconscious. All I could remember was that I felt my own blood running down my face from the huge gash created by the shards of window glass . . .

"What the hell happened?" I groaned as I woke up on the living room couch, with bandages all over my body.

The most shocking thing was that I had a huge roll of cloth on top of my head, and I could tell that it was still red with my blood.

"Elyssia, why did you just get up and have a fit of temper up there? We thought that you were dying!" my father exclaimed.

"I . . . I'll never be able control my emotions. Just leave it at that!" I cried as tears spilled over my eyes and created salty rivers on my face.

My mother rubbed my stem, and I winced in slight pain as she touched the spots where I had gotten hit the hardest. Finally, she spoke.

"Elyssia, if this bullying incident has gone on for nearly a decade, then we have to come with you to school."

"W-what?" I squeaked, taking into account the potential embarrassment that I'd earn.

"Yes, we will come marching over to the school with you. If going to school wasn't a law in Canada, we would've pulled you outta that so-called Catholic school! Honestly, we need to talk to the principal and ask him why the teachers haven't been paying our daughter any mind!" my father growled.

I sighed as my mother removed the cloth on my head. She then proceeded to move her leaves around the way I was taught way back in the third grade in order to heal others. I flinched in pain as my mother closed the wound with a flourish.

"Feel better now?" she asked.

I shrugged, and stared at the wall.

"I don't know what to feel now. I just feel as if I've been emptied of all meaning." I replied.

My mother and my father kissed my cheek.

"We love you so much, Elyssia. I just sent you to your room to keep you safe from Mary's wrath. She said that she wanted to stuff poison down your throat, and that she wanted to ram a knife into your stem. I'm sorry if I made you feel bad about yourself. I just didn't want Mary to harm you." my father whispered.

"Wouldn't I have beaten the living crap outta her before she could kill me, thanks to my powers?" I asked.

"Language, Elyssia. Watch the language. And in any case, you would have been grounded for injuring a family member!" my mother answered.

I sighed. "My life is crazy . . ." I muttered as I hobbled up the stairs, feeling tired and stressed.

My life _is_ crazy. It's as crazy as it can get.


	3. The Visit

 

I woke up feeling relaxed . . . until I recalled the fact that my parents would be coming with me to school today. What if they embarrassed me? Sighing in defeat, I forced myself out of bed and walked down the stairs.

"Good morning, Elsi." my mother greeted me as I descended the stairs. I merely grunted in response as I sat down to a breakfast of Belgian waffles.

"We made it for you so that you could feel better, Elsi." my father explained.

I nodded as I took my first bite.

"And please ― stop calling me Elsi. I don't like it." I groaned. "Besides . . . do you really have to come? What if you embarrass me?" I asked.

My mother laughed. "Of course we won't embarrass you! We'll just keep a low profile and leave it at that."

I almost fainted from relief as I wolfed down my breakfast and proceeded to grab my bag and my shawl.

"Hold on! We're coming with you, remember?" my father exclaimed.

"And just how are we gonna get there on time?" I asked in a bored voice.

My mother answered that question. "Do you live in Toronto or not?!" she laughed. "We're taking the TTC!"

After what seemed like a million years, my parents and I trudged over to Kipling station. We paid our seven-dollar fare, and we went to the eastbound platform to wait for the train. After three minutes, we were on a train headed west.

We were pulling into the Bloor-Yonge station when my father pointed at a poster across from us. I looked where he was pointing and groaned. Service was unavailable from Bloor-Yonge all the way to Kennedy for "track maintenance".

"Hey, what do zombies know about track maintenance?" I huffed as my parents and I dragged our roots off the train and out of the station.

"Do they even try to ― _hey!_ How're we supposed to get to school now?" I sputtered.

"Close your eyes, Elyssia." my father instructed.

"Oh my God, don't be trying your meditation crap!" I grumbled.

Next thing I knew, I felt like I was being swept up in a tornado, and in five seconds flat, my parents and I were in Scarborough. _I wonder how that happened . . ._ I thought as we started walking towards the huge building with a cross on it, and soon, we were buzzing the intercom to get in. The front doors unlocked, and we went inside the office, just as the bell rang.

"Okay, listen. I gotta dash. If at any time you or the principal will need me, you can buzz my classroom using the phones over there." I explained, indicating the phone-like devices to my right. "My classroom number is 314."

And with that, I was tearing up the stairs like there was no tomorrow.

"Good morning, class." my teacher greeted us.

"Good morning, Madam Hibiscus," we replied in uninterested voices.

"I can see that we need to turn up the cold air in here to wake you up. But I have a surprise for you!" Madam Hibiscus exclaimed.

The "surprise" was that we were split into three groups, and I ended up being with Ellen and two members of her gang. Ellen looked pissed off as she looked at me, with what looked like twelve stitches on her forehead.

"Hurt you that bad, huh?" I asked casually just to pull her strings.

"Heck _yeah_! Ellen told me, and that's why Albert and Brian didn't come to school!" Carol the Cactus snorted. "If I didn't have to take the school bus, I would have whooped your ass!"

I gritted my teeth as our teacher called order by clapping her leaves.

"I'm doing this because if the zombies ever do come to attack this school, we need to be prepared, like it or not. So, show one another your skills, and try to teach one another." she said before she looked back down at her work.

"I'll go _first_. Losers _never_ go first!" Ellen uttered haughtily as she sauntered into the centre of the group.

"Knock 'em socks off like a boss, Ellen!" Alduin cheered.

"Hear, hear!" Carol echoed. Feeling pumped by the praise, Ellen created a huge load of sun. I couldn't help but clap because I was impressed. As the rest of the plants went into the centre to show off, I gathered my thoughts. I'd show the whole group ― no, the whole _class_ that I was actually a force to reckon with.

"Yo, daydreamer. It's your turn at the plate. Not like you'll do much!" Alduin snickered into my ear. Taking a deep breath, I went into the middle. I eyed Ellen and Carol as if to say, "I'm stronger than you think." I swept my right leaf in a circle, and created a storm of crystals, just the way I did in the living room of my house less than 24 hours ago. Everyone looked at me in shock as the crystals made contact with the wall and disappeared. Finally, Ellen spoke up.

"H-hey! That's not an ability! That's just weird! And that's the major reason as to why you're such a weirdo!" she squawked.

My teacher walked over as soon as she heard the commotion.

"Elyssia, Ellen's right. Why don't you do something that's . . . down to earth?" Madam Hibiscus suggested.

"B-but Miss! It's an ability that I happened to be born with!" I protested.

My teacher just sighed and walked back to her desk.

"See? Even the teacher doesn't give a damn!" Carol sniggered.

I could feel my anger taking over, and I couldn't help it. My instincts just told me to sweep my right leaf in a circle, and this time, I had created what looked like several bullets that found home in Ellen's stitched forehead. Carol gasped, and made her way to the teacher's desk. I knew I was in big fat trouble, because the teacher came marching over to me, and the principal had entered, with my parents in tow.

"Elyssia Antonia Maccabaeus! What the hell just happened?" my mother yelled as she ran over to me.

I looked around proudly. Students were cowering every time I gave them a look. I smiled.

"Now, _this_ will teach you how to treat me like bull crap!" I sniggered.

But as I looked back at my parents, my smirk was wiped clean off of my face.

"O-oh, I'm so sorry! I swear to God that I didn't do it on purpose! I mean it! My instincts kinda took over . . ." I whimpered.

I glanced back at Ellen, who was howling mournfully as the gash I had given to her yesterday was reopened by my frozen bullets. Carol was beside her, giving her words of support and comfort as she slowly rubbed her stem.

"M-mom! Please understand!" I pleaded.

The expressions on the faces of my parents didn't change one little bit. They just looked at me with sheer disappointment. I gasped as they turned to leave and the bell rang. But this time, I didn't go outside. I hid inside a dusty old cabinet until my teacher went out. Then, I ran into the washroom and unscrewed a vent. I crawled in and decided to roam around the school through the vents, stewing all the way. Finally, the bell signalling the end of the day rang. I ran out of St. Henry CS and into the subway station, hoping that the train would come. But several students came with sticks that apparently came from one of the old trees in the schoolyard.

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth!" Ellen snickered as she and the rest of her gang beat me up.

I had finally lost it. I let my emotions fly past the boundaries, and in a blinding flash, those students had been knocked out cold.

"Ha!" I muttered as I hopped onto the train that had arrived just in time.

"Elyssia!" my mother screamed as she flung the door open and literally dragged me inside.

"The principal wants to talk to you. He's here. Don't be sassy, or I'll give you a tanning that you'll never forget!" she snapped.

I sighed as we took seats at the dining table, wishing that my twin siblings weren't in Humber Summit's infamous graveyard.

"Elyssia, I heard that you gave Ellen a gash that needed twelve stitches yesterday after school, and that you practically knocked Albert and Brian's teeth out because of your . . . powers. Correct?" the principal asked.

I bit my lip at the question, before I nodded slowly.

"Now, I know you're a smart girl who can control your emotions. Am I right?" the Tall-nut asked. Again, I nodded slowly.

"Well then. Detention with me tomorrow. Lunch recess. Perhaps that will teach you how to brutally injure your fellow students!" he growled as he got up from his seat and walked out the front door.

I smiled impishly. "W-wellll . . . not as bad as it can get . . . right?" I asked.

"Wrong!" my father growled as he pushed my mother away and went into the kitchen, only to emerge with a wooden spoon in one leaf.

"Dad! Y-you've gotta be kidding me!" I sputtered. Too late. My leaves, stem and head were being spanked. Hard. Cuts that were trying to heal were reopened, and bruised areas hurt like hell. After what seemed like centuries of this torture, my father calmed down. My mother grabbed the spoon and whacked him hard.

"I have a good mind to call the police!" she hissed. Wiping away my tears, I said, "And I have a good mind to run away from this hell-born crappy life that I have!" My mother and father gasped.

"Y-you're kidding me, right?" my father squeaked. I shook my head.

"You weren't kidding. Why should I be kidding? You guys don't even give a crap about me! Just go to the graveyard and die. There's a nice one by Humber Summit. Would you like to go there?" I hissed coolly before I ran into my room. I packed everything I'd need for my crazy escapade into a bag ― a quarter for the pay phone, a knife, a compass, and basically all the survival mumbojumbo that I'd need. I flew down the stairs and out the door, and I started running along Kipling Avenue, not bothering to stop once.

One hour later, I was at Yonge and Bloor, panting and sweaty.

"H-ha! Now for a place to stay!" I muttered.

But just then, a horde of zombies appeared out of nowhere. I shot my icy jets at them, making them fall, one by one. But then came the unexpected: a zombie shooting an electrically charged bullet at my head. And I was sinking to the ground, fast.


	4. A New Start

What an amazing way to go to meet my maker. Lost, covered with cuts and bruises, hell-beaten . . . yep. It's time for me to join all the deceased spirits up in Heaven. Farewell, cruel world. And now that I think of it, I think that I'm amazing, even for a twelve year old Snow Pea, because I managed to take on at least seventy of those zombies, even though it ended by having me shot by an electrically charged shotgun shell on the side of Yonge Street. Despite the fact that I didn't get buried next to my dead twin siblings in Humber Summit, on the up side, I'll see them once I close my eyes . . .

At least, that's what I thought.

"Oh, my God! Please, don't say that you're gonna die! Oh Jesus, oh Jesus... don't say that I'm too late to save you . . ." I heard a panicked male voice split the silence into slivers. I didn't die. I missed death by a micrometre. How? I asked myself this question over and over as I felt my life dashing back into me, like a rushing, restless river.

"Think you came in the nick of time." I mumbled as my eyes re-focused themselves.

As soon as I could see straight, I was shocked at what I saw. For right in front of me, a handsome Repeater was staring down at me. I bit my lip and felt myself blushing a bit.

"Oh . . . thanks. And you're name is?" I enquired.

"It's Peater." the boy-plant replied. "What's your name?"

"My name's Elyssia. And . . . thanks for helping me out." I answered. Peater gasped, and for a split second I saw his eyes light up, like he had . . . I dunno . . . seen me before. He extended his leaf and I gratefully took it as I stood up on my roots.

"So . . . where do you live?" he asked.

I could tell that my eyes took on a troubled look as I recalled all of the hell I went through, back in my old domicile in North Etobicoke.

"I . . . I don't really have a home!" I cried as I burst into tears.

"What happened, Elyssia?" Peater asked.

"I . . . don't wanna talk about it, Peater I just don't." I responded as I trembled and shook with my sobs. Peater put a leaf around my stem.

"It's fine. Make yourself at home at the base where I live." he whispered as he slowly rubbed my stem and attempted to comfort me.

"Come with me." Peater murmured as he led me through the inhospitable surroundings of Toronto ― or I should say Zombonto. See, the zombies have taken over this city completely. We plants must stop Zomboss before he kills us all. At least things are going fine with us . . . a little.

"Here we are. Not Buckingham, but it's a nice place." Peater said, jolting me out of my thoughts. Right in front of me, I found a base that looked like the Eaton Center. Wait... it _is_ the Eaton Center.

"Oh . . . thank you, Peater. You don't know how much this means to me." I said, flashing him my sweetest, prettiest smile.

"You're welcome, Elyssia. It's my pleasure . . ." Peater stuttered.

I could see his face go a dark green, and I could see his green eyes shine with adoration as he looked into mine.

"I'm glad that you cared enough to help me like this." I whispered as I gave him a tight hug.

Peater returned the embrace, and led me into his room. "You can share a room with me, if you want." he suggested.

"Take me away! After all you did for me, I'm all yours!" I exclaimed.

Peater's cup of joy seemed to fill up at my words as he led me up a flight of steps, which now occupied what was once one of the two elevators, down a hallway, and into a small yet cozy room with a bunk bed.

"Bottom bunk's never been used. You can have it, if you want." he said softly. "Thank you again, Peater. You've been so kind to me." I murmured.

"Anything for you, Elyssia." Peater replied. I climbed into bed and shut my eyes. At least I found a temporary, if not permanent, place to stay, and I found an awesome friend to top it all off. Maybe I can stop hating my life, and start getting grounded with what's important.


	5. Battles

I woke up with my head hurting like hell, and I felt as hungry as a wolf. But instead of crying out in pain, I bit my lip and said the alphabet backwards in my mind.

"Good morning, Elyssia." Peater yawned as he climbed down the ladder.

"Need any food?" he asked.

"Thanks for your concern, Peater." I giggled. "And I'll be honest. I could eat an elephant!"

Peater put a leaf on my head with a warm smile. "I'd gladly take you to the cafeteria at this base. The food might not be fancy, but it's good!" he whispered.

I smiled back in response.

"So, how do we get to the battlefield?" I asked as my roommate led me down the stairs. "Nothing impressive. Just a long trek, because the leader of this base seems to be to last to put inter-dimensional portals into place. Subspace portals, in other words. And don't worry about the zombies. I'll be right by your side, protecting you." he answered.

"Not that I need that much protection ―" I swept my right leaf in a circle and created a storm of ice crystals to prove it. "― but I could use somebody who's looking out for me."

Peater shivered as my squall of crystals hit the wall and faded. "How'd you do that?" he asked. "Some supernatural thing that I was born with. I can do much more, but I'm not about to cause trouble on my first morning!" I answered.

"You really are her . . . you're ―" Peater started to mumble to himself, before I cut him off with a question.

"I'm what?" I asked.

"N-nothing!" Peater answered with a tight smile. I could tell that he was being less than entirely truthful, but I didn't bother to ask any questions.  
After going down a flight of stairs, we arrived at a doorway that led into what used to be the food court, where I could see many plants congregated, and chatting excitedly. Just then, a fifteen year old Flaming Pea arrived. He had a crown of burning flames on the back of his head, and he looked fierce, although I could sense a tenderness to him.

"Good day, Peater. Who is this lovely girl-plant you have here?" he asked.

"Good morning, Ash. This is Elyssia. I saw her near death on the side of Yonge Street, so I took her here. It _is_ okay if she stays . . . right?" Peater implied.

When he heard the name "Elyssia," his eyes widened. He looked as if he had just met some celebrity. Meanwhile, I sucked in a deep breath, hoping Ash would allow me to stay, for I had no other place that I could call home.

"Ah, Peater. What a gentleplant! You put yourself aside just to save a stranger's life? That deserves something! What would you like as a reward?" Ash asked.

"I would just like to have Elyssia stay, because she needs to remain here if she is to live." Peater answered simply.

I was shocked out of my wits. How could this new friend of mine put so much aside just to save my life? I wanted to ask this question, but Ash spoke before I could.

"Peater, consider it done!" he exclaimed before he headed out the door of the canteen.

"Peater . . . why would you put so much energy into saving my life?" I asked.

"Because you're . . . uh . . . I just think it's the right thing to do." Peater answered as he helped himself to his breakfast of waffles and eggs.

As we sat down, he said, "You know, I would have a good mind to call you a complete fool for thinking that you could take on a whole crowd of zombies by yourself." I blushed profusely.

"Sorry. It's just that . . . I didn't have a soul to help me, and attempting to outrun the zombies would have probably only made things worse." I mumbled. "It's just . . . it feels like I was born to fight and kill zombies, y'know? I gotta get them!"

"It's fine, and I want you to promise me something, Elyssia." Peater whispered.

"Anything to make up for all those good things you did for me." I replied.

"Never, ever, _ever_ get hurt, kidnapped, or killed." Peater said.

"I cross my heart and hope to die; stick a needle through my eye!" I vowed as I looked into his eyes.

"Thank you, Elyssia. Thank you so much." he whispered.

"Thank _you_ , Peater. Yousaved my life. Without you, I'd be . . ." I trailed off as I finished my breakfast.

". . . dead. I never would've met you, and I would've missed out on a great friend." Peater finished.

"You think of me as a friend, even though you knew me for less than 24 hours?" I sputtered.

"Yeah. I guess when I saved your life, we kinda bonded." Peater responded with a smile.

"Thanks. I can feel that you're gonna be a great friend, after all you've done for me." I said softly with a grin. I felt like there was much more to his answer, but like before, I didn't press him.

Right in front of me, in the middle of Queen's Park, I could see zombies slowly shuffling towards us plants. I could feel my roots tensing up inside the ground as I saw coneheads and bucketheads walking in our direction.

"Be strong, Elyssia. Don't be scared." Peater murmured.

"I can do this!" I told myself as I began to shoot death ― in the form of frozen peas.  
Soon, the initial stress of being on the battlefield slipped away as I focused all of my attention into fighting the zombie wave. Then, all of a sudden, I could see no zombies approaching. Not a single walking corpse could be seen . . . or so I thought. Next thing I knew, a bombardment of zombies were walking towards me. I was scared, because this time, they weren't walking at their usual slow pace. This time, they were literally running towards me. I felt a bolt of adrenaline surge through my body as I swept my right leaf in a circle and created my squall of crystals. But this time, it was as powerful as it would ever get. In a blinding flash, the zombies were vanquished. Everyone looked at me in shock, for they never knew that a Snow Pea not even in her teens could do a thing like this. I could've sworn that a look of envy and longing entered Ash's face, and he turned into a look of happiness as soon as he realized that I was eyeing him intently.

"Wow, Elyssia. You're incredible!" Peater murmured in amazement.

"Thanks. I guess being scared can have its advantages!" I replied modestly.

"Hey ― has anyone told you that you're hot?" Peater asked.

I blushed and laughed. "Oh, of course! Did you know that it's going on thirty degrees? It's, like, _burning!_ Canada was never supposed to get this hot, you know!" I joked.  
Peater laughed and shook his head. "No, not _that_ kind of hot! I mean . . . you're pretty, you know?"

I giggled as my face turned an even darker shade of blue, before a troubling memory entered my head, causing me to start crying uncontrollably.

"What happened? Another sad memory?" the boy-plant asked.

I nodded and wiped away my tears.

"I guess I gotta keep my head held high. It's the only way to survive such hostile conditions." I mumbled.

Meanwhile, I could see Ash trotting off in the direction of the zombie base, which I could see quite clearly, what with its spiralling spires of metal. I can't help but wonder what that Flaming Pea is up to now. My mother sometimes said that I had inherited her sixth sense; other times, she says "no". But I had an odd feeling that trouble was dead ahead. Okay, maybe not in front of my bruised face, but I could see it.


End file.
